5 Wild IBM Predictions: Computers That Can Smell, Taste And More

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The worst part about the common cold is that you never know you're getting it until it's too late. Once that first sneeze is sneezed, that trip to the pharmacy seems inevitable.

But IBM predicts computers will be able to change all that by 2017 by adopting the ability to "smell." According to the tech giant, users may soon be able to breathe on their computing devices, have those devices extract data from the molecules in their breath, and receive "valuable diagnostic information" in return.

What's more, IBM suggests computers will be able to sniff out the cleanliness of a hospital operating room, the condition of a crop's soil, and even any issues with a city's sanitation system before a human nose ever catches a whiff.